Overview of the point discussion A panel discussion on the “Importance of civil society to promote women’s rights” was held on June 17, 2013 at the school of business studies at Albukhary International University. The panel discussion was assigned under the civil society course programme. The objectives of the Panel discussion were to inform and to raise further awareness among all students of the role and the importance of promoting women rights through civil society to create a positive impact as well as a positive change in our communities through a clear understanding of the rights of the women surrounding us and to discuss the prospective implementation of our understanding of women rights as a civil society player. The panel was moderated by a colleague named as Nasridini Asliddin from Tajikistan, major in business administration. The Panelists included: 1. Syakirah Anati Major in Banking and Finance She introduced and talked on the issue of women abusing and how the civil society players are ensuring that their rights to protection and safety is respected. By stating relevant facts and statistics, Ms. Syakirah shared with the number of atrocities and violence women are facing in our societies. She also mentioned the undeniable role of civil society players in their efforts to build a free women abusing communities. 2. Ayu Aniewa Major in Banking and Finance She defined women right to property in general and the benefits Islam as a religion accords to women in term of property claiming. Ms. Ayu shared with the audience a long lasting tradition in Malaysia that enables women to have the right to own a property without the state concern.
3. Muzaffar Khusanov Major in Banking and Finance He talked more on the role being played by civil society to empower women in the Middle-East and attribute to them their rights to employment. He also elaborated some points on the different reason our communities would not let women have jobs. By taking example on the important role played by women during the World War II, he reminded people of the significant position that women that can hold in our communities.
And I, Mohamed Sali Toure Major in Banking and Finance I discussed the causes why there were more than 7 million educated women around the world and what civil society players have been doing for decades to mitigate the growing rate. With relevant information and statistics, I shared with the audience that sending women to school would yield so much benefits for the next coming generations.
The process A class discussion was held to identify the topic and to make an outline which establishes the different sub topics to be discussed in the panel. Later on, each panellist was assigned with a specific sub-topic to study and prepare on before the first date set for a rehearsal. The panel discussion was set under certain rules to follow which included the timing to all panelists to talk, the manners and so on. Planning A first meeting was conducted some days before the panel for a rehearsal which helped each one of us to identify the common mistakes we were having in our talks and also to avoid controversial ideas or information which will would change the panel to a debate. Each Panellist was accorded (5) five minutes to express his or her ideas and contribution in promoting women rights. The moderator introduced each panelists before asking them (2) questions each. Questions and amendments from the audience was taken at the end of the panel. Points & arguments/ disagreement/ Resolution Literally, there was no arguments between the panellists as the panel was planned as such and that we were all discussing on the same point which was to accord women their rights. However, at the end of the panel, we received questions from the floor which required coherent answers. Many people in the audience did not agree on the facts that women were not empowered up to now. Some also stated that we should consider the fact that the lack of women empowerment in the middle-east is not a question of religion but rather of traditions. Additionally, the most discussed issue arise when a person from the crowd stipulated that women could not be accorded their full right based on the fact that they act and judge based on their emotions rather than their consciences. We believed that that the matter of women judging based on emotions is necessarily true and that it doesn’t every time. Women are leading and occupying different positions in almost every sector around the world. They are doing jobs to which men has failed to succeed. The Implementation The Best part about the panel was that my colleagues and I managed to entertain the audience with relevant documents, statistics and short stories regarding our topic to ensure a smooth discussion and a perfect understanding of the topic by the attendants. The moderator managed to ask some straightforward and well-structured questions to each one of the panelists which made it easier to answer. As time was against us, we manage to respond to all the questions coming from the floor with brief, simple yet coherent answers. Another interesting point was that the role of men in shaping the future of women was raised, in particular the need to build a complementary environment for both, men and women.
Nevertheless, there were some aspects in the panel that I did not appreciate. Time management was one of them; some of my colleagues actually went beyond the maximum time accorded to each panellist due to the fact that their ideas were sometimes unstructured. Learning/Reflection of the Panel Discussion I learned some much important knowledge throughout the panel discussion preparation. By reading some annual reports on women rights I gained to know several issues faced by women around the world, including my own nation. I got to know facts and statistics reported by international civil society organizations. This whole process taught me women empowerment is crucial for our communities. A child learns faster through his mother than his father, that is why the saying comes “an educated woman, is an educated nation”. That is why we really need to accord to women their rights to see our communities developing. Additionally, I acquired the privilege to work as a group with talented colleagues; whom not only rectified some common mistakes in my spoken English but also helped me to restructure some sentences of mine before the discussion. As the time given to the panellists was short, I had consistently managed to adjust my talk to it so that I would allow others to have their say as well. I structured my talk in points to smoothen my articulation and to ease the audience comprehension of what I was discussing. Before the panel I had prepared some potential questions that may arise and answered by my own and fortunately many of them were asked. Some other questions other the ones I expected were asked to. As I believed to be well prepared I confidently answered. Conclusion I acquired sufficient amount of knowledge from the process of planning and preparation of this panel discussion to its implementation. Reading through reports and reviews on women issues has objectively widen my thinking towards women and straighten my position to fight for the rights of our mothers, sisters and daughters. My researches have brought me a multidimensional aspects of how women should be treated. I asserted that everybody has the right to education, which has been recognised since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948, which I think should be considered that women rights to education is not solely about gaining knowledge but rather creating positive impacts on perceptions and developing positive attitudes in order to create a universal culture of human rights.
References 1. Natural Resources Management and Environment Department (1997). Higher agricultural education and opportunities in rural development for women. …. Retrieved Jun 28, 2013, from http://www.fao.org/docrep/w6038e/w6038e02.htm – See more at: http://reffor.us/index.php#sthash.PWjWCF9V.dpuf 2. ICPD Programme of Action. (n.d.). Empowering Women through Education. Retrieved June28, 2013, from http://www.unfpa.org/gender/empowerment2.htm – See more at: http://reffor.us/index.php#sthash.FQhV6ZhM.dpuf
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